In a significant development, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Navi Mumbai Police arrested Muazzam Maqsood Bhaiji and Ibrahim Bhaiji for allegedly defrauding a businessman of Rs18 crore by selling a CIDCO-compensated land in Kharghar using forged documents.
The arrest follows a 2023 complaint by Vinay Chawla, of Chinmaya Associates, who claimed he was tricked into investing in land that had already been acquired by CIDCO in 2003. According to police, the accused falsified documents such as NOCs and 7/12 extracts to make the land appear transferable and usable.
The arrested duo was produced in Panvel court and has been sent to judicial custody. Police also revealed that other accused, Tulsi Jashnani and Gautam, are currently absconding, while Mahesh Alimchandani, another alleged conspirator, passed away last year.
Authorities are also pursuing real estate agent Riaz Khot and probing the involvement of CIDCO and state revenue officials, who may have helped validate the forged paperwork.
Forged property documents
Fraudulent NOCs
Tampered 7/12 extracts
Money trail leading to suspects’ bank accounts
An official stated, “The accused misrepresented the usability of the land to facilitate the fraudulent sale. Government collusion is being actively investigated.”
Police further added that both Jashnani and Alimchandani were habitual offenders with prior cheating cases in Mumbai EOW and Lonavla.
